Magazines
Independent Study
What is a magazine?
TASK: Brainstorm conventions. Think about:
• What they look like
• What they contain
• Who buys them
List as many magazines as you can
think of
• Read the Different kinds of magazines
handout
• Try to sort your magazine titles under the
headings from the handout
• Do they all fit? Why?
Mizz
• Use the terminology
grid to work out the
meaning of the
terminology then label
your copy of Mizz
• Put a title on your sheet
saying Magazine
Terminology
Masthead
White writing on a
black background
coverline
Contents in top left
and/or right corners
of cover
The title of the
magazine
Pug or Ear
Reverse block
puff
A short phrase to
say how great the
magazine is
The titles of articles
on the front cover
Can you match the
definition to the
correct terminology?
Magazine
Terminology
Masthead = the
title of a
magazine
Coverline = the
title of articles
on the cover
Insert image – an
extra image on the
cover, presented in a
box/bordered shape
Puff = a short
phrase to say
how great the
magazine is
Pug or Ear –
the content in
the top corners
of the cover
Reverse Block =
white writing
on a black
background
Vogue - Analysis
In pairs analyse the way
that the front cover works
on Vogue. Look at:
• Image
• Coverlines
• Colours
• Fonts
• Layout
• Use the Magazine Cover
Analysis sheet on
Weebly if you are
struggling
Homework
• Find a front cover of a magazine, or use one of
the examples on Weebly (except for Vogue),
and analyse.
• Use the magazine cover analysis sheet to help
you.
• This work will go in your folder so as with your
posters make it as detailed as possible
Pug/Ear
Puff
Masthead
3
4
1
7. How many
colours are used
for the text on
the cover? Why?
8 What
techniques
are used in
the language
and images
to attract an
audience?
Insert image
5
6
Main image
2
coverline
Analysing contents pages
Look at a contents page and try to answer these questions. The questions get gradually harder and will reflect your level of
analysis. Remember that the examiner won't know your questions so answer in full sentences.
D grade - answer questions 1 -4
C/B grade - answer questions 1-6
A/A* grade answer questions 1-7
1. How many contents headings are there? List them
2. How many articles are referred to under each heading?
3. Work out the number of pages devoted to each main content heading.
4. Is there anything under the title of each article on the contents page? Why is that there?
5. Look at the cover of the magazine and which content items are highlighted. What do these aspects tell you about the
messages that the magazine promotes? Does it suggest anything about the target audience in terms of:
age
gender
professional class
6. The contents page will often indicate which articles are the ‘regular’ items that appear in every issue and what are the
‘feature’ articles that only appear in this issue. Try to identify which are features and which are regulars
7. Pick out some of the language used in the contents page which is there to attract the audience – what techniques are
used?
Editorial pages
• What is an editor?
• What is an editorial?
• An editorial is a column written by an editor
which introduces the magazine for this issue
• Look at these
examples of
editorials and
come up with
a list of what
editorials do
Editorials
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tend to:
Be informal/ treat the reader like a friend
Include images
Read like a letter
Speak directly to the reader
Point the reader towards special features in
the magazine
• Include special offers/competitions
Analysis
• Choose one contents page and one editorial of
your own and analyse/annotate
• There are documents on Weebly to guide you
through your analysis if you need it
• EXTENSION – analyse a second contents/editorial
page
What is the log?
• For this unit, you have to hand in a production
log with your work. This is a kind of analytical
diary of the work that you have completed
E grade
C grade
Some notes describing
Notes explain clearly what
what you have done in the you have done in the
lesson
lesson with some
reflection on how
successful you have been
and some analysis of what
you have done
A grade
Detailed analysis of work
achieved, with
explanations of why/how
work was created in this
way
Example
•
Sample blog
• Sample log
• Your work will be in Word, but you should
include screenshots of all the work that you
have done, or scans/photos of it into your
Word document
• You will also include the actual documents at
the end of your folder
The log
• At the end of every lesson you must clearly
state what work you have completed
• This document is used as evidence of the work
that you have done and when it is completed.
• Time management is part of this assessment,
so you must evidence your use of time
E
C
A
Time management
may not be good
Time management
is good
Time management
is excellent
Monitoring
• Your teachers will monitor your production
logs to ensure you are progressing well and
completing the work accurately
• Your log will be saved on your google drive
Starting your log
• November 27th
Analysing front covers in class
• December 1st Homework – write up the
homework that you have done
Analysing contents pages
Look at a contents page and try to answer these questions. The questions get gradually harder and will reflect your
level of analysis. Remember that the examiner won't know your questions so answer in full sentences.
D grade - answer questions 1 -3
C/B grade - answer questions 1-5
A/A* grade answer questions 1-6
1. How many contents headings are there? List them
2. How many articles are referred to under each heading?
3. Is there anything under the title of each article on the contents page? Why is that there?
4. Look at the cover of the magazine and which content items are highlighted. What do these aspects tell you
about the messages that the magazine promotes? Does it suggest anything about the target audience in terms
of:
age
gender
professional class
5. The contents page will often indicate which articles are the ‘regular’ items that appear in every issue and what
are the ‘feature’ articles that only appear in this issue. Try to identify which are features and which are
regulars
6. Pick out some of the language used in the contents page which is there to attract the audience – what
techniques are used?
Extension work
• If you have finished, complete the analysis
task again for another magazine contents
page. There are examples on Weebly
Language use in contents pages
• How is language used in this contents page
Analysing double page spreads
Double Page article analysis
REMEMBER to write the title before you start
your work and write down the magazine and
article that you are analysing.
LANGUAGE
5. What type of language is used in the headlines?
· Give a quote and analyse
Answer the following questions in detail.
Remember that the moderator will not see these 6. What type of language is used in the
questions so make sure your answers make sense. subheading?
· Give a quote and analyse
7. Choose 4 quotes from the main copy and
PRESENTATION
1. How are the headlines presented?
analyse the use of language in each one
· Font
separately. Choose examples of different types of
· Colour
language use. For example:
· Position
· Slang/colloquial language
· Size
· Imperatives "Go to the pool and …"
2. How is the copy presented?
· Alliteration or sibilance "Fun, fantastic fashion for
· Font
the fit female"
· Colour
· Humour
· Position
· Rhetorical questions "Why are all men stupid?"
· Percentage of page
· Chatting directly to the reader "Anyway I'm sure
3. How are the images presented?
you are desperate for me to get to the real
· Colour
point…"
· Position
8. Do you notice anything else about the
· Percentage of page
language?
· Denotation and connotation of images
4. What do you notice about the overall layout of
the article?
Layout
• In chunks – each
section separated
by numbers
- makes it easy to
access for the reader
• In columns
- typical of
magazines
• Use of three
images spread
across the two
pages
- Makes it appealing
to the audience
• Large headline
- makes the story
clear to the audience
Headline
• 3 different
colours
• All in capital
letters
• 12 is very
large
• Ellipsis
• Exclamation
mark
Images
• Robbie – cool,
all in black,
dancing – the
text in reverse
block confirms
the argument of
the article
• Subbuteo man =
girls’
stereotypical
idea of
‘pointless game’
• Air guitar image
– stereotypical
reason to
ridicule
someone
Language
Direct address –
makes it seem
like the mag is
talking directly
to the reader
Slang – we use
slang with our
friends so it makes
the mag seem like
your friend
Grading
Grade
Exam Board mark scheme
What this means
U–G
Minimal research
Some labelling of real magazines
F–D
Basic Research
Basic annotations
F – two comments
E – 3 comments
D – 4 comments with some analysis
(connection to audience)
C–B
Proficient Research
Annotations including terminology and
each point has analysis relating to the
reader (at least 5 comments)
A–A
Excellent Research
Detailed and thorough analysis
including terminology. Specific analysis
of language included
Brainstorming
• Brainstorm ideas for your magazine
• Decide who your target audience is going to
be and brainstorm what you might include in
your magazine. Remember that you will have
to take photographs YOURSELF to put in your
magazine
E
C
A
A simple brainstorm with
5 or 6 ideas
A detailed brainstorm
with 10+ideas with some
explanation of the ideas
A detailed brainstorm
with 10+ideas with clear
explanation of the ideas,
including some images
Now write up this work in your production log
Industry Research Task
B – A* Grades – see extension
D-B GRADES
work on Weebly
Specific Audience
Your magazine must be made for a specific audience. It can’t be made
for ‘everyone’.
You need to think about different audiences and what kind of content
might be in the magazine.
There are always exceptions – boys sometimes read girls’ magazines,
but the mag will still be targeted at teenage girls-
TASK: Your Magazine
• Think about the genre of magazine that you might like to make and
the target audience.
• Research the range of titles currently published for your target
audience. Produce a collage of front covers
• Which of these magazines is the most popular?
• Why do you think this?
Primary Audience Research
• What does primary research mean?
Research that you have conducted yourself
by directly contacting your audience
• What does secondary research mean?
You read other people’s research (on the
internet/ in books/ in newspapers etc) and
use that to give you information about your
audience
Primary Audience Research
• Now it is time to do your own research – use
the document on Weebly to choose the task
that is most relevant to your level and target
Now write up your primary audience research in your log
Conduct the questionnaire
• Conduct your questionnaire with at least 10
people from your target audience
• Analyse the results (Excel/ paragraph to show
understanding)
EXTENSION: Complete the Audience Research
Task on Weebly
Plagiarism
• Handing in coursework that is not your own is
cheating
• You will be disqualified if the moderator finds
work in your folder that is not yours
• You run the risk of being disqualified from ALL
GCSEs in this session
Planning
• Remember that this must be all your own work. You
cannot take any of the article from real articles in
magazines or on the internet and the images MUST be
images you have taken yourself. However, you can
imagine that your friend is a famous footballer and
write an interview with them. You shouldn't interview
them, but should make up the text of the interview
yourself.
• The examiner will not be impressed by silly comments
that look like teenagers trying to impress their mates!
Planning – the article
• Brainstorm what your double page spread
article will be about – make sure that it is neat
to go in your folder
• Mock up your article
• Write the text of the article in Word without
layout decisions
See the document on Weebly – planning your
double page spread article
Now write up your article planning in your log
Mock up
The contents page
• Your contents page can be single or a double
page spread
• If you choose a double page spread it should
include an editorial
• Use your brainstorm sheet to think of ideas for
articles in your contents page
Reminder: Language use
1
2
3
4
5
6
This sheet should be in your folder – use it to help you in the creation of your
contents page
TASK
• In Word, plan the text for the contents page
for your magazine. Do not consider the font,
colour or layout at this stage, just the text to
be used in your magazine
E grade
C grade
A grade
•10 article headlines
•20 article headlines
•some subheadings
•some creative use of
language
•30+ article headlines
•subheadings for most
•Language used in a range
of creative ways
Sample
Readers’ Stories
14 Nasty Knitter
My ‘friend’ sent messages knitted into scarves
26 Nifty Needles
I won the title of fastest knitter in Berkshire
48 Pull the wool over his eyes
How I kept knitting to hide my affair
Sample
Patterns for Winter
6 Scrumptious Scarves
Lightweight scarves for extra style
62 Do you do diamonds?
Classic diamond knit socks for that special Xmas
present
• etc
Numbers in order but not
consecutive
Subject sections
Readers’ Stories
14 Nasty Knitter
My ‘friend’ sent messages knitted into scarves
26 Nifty Needles
I won the title of fastest knitter in Berkshire
48 Pull the wool over his eyes
Language use
How I kept knitting to hide my affair • Alliteration
• Rhyme
Patterns for Winter
• Pun
• Rhetorical
6 Scrumptious Scarves
question
Lightweight scarves for extra style • triplets
62 Do you do diamonds?
Classic diamond knit socks for that special
Xmas present
• etc
Extension
• If you have finished, first check that you have
been as creative as possible with your
language use
• Then consider the layout of your contents
page. Think about use of images, colour,
blocking, titling, position of your editorial etc.
• For a B-A* grade, you should aim to create a
double page spread for your contents page
• Draw the mock up of your page/s on A4 paper
Planning your front cover
Points to remember
• Should have a big image
which takes up most of the
page
• Needs a masthead
• Needs at least 5 coverlines
• Needs barcode, date, price,
puff
Mock up
• Draw a detailed mock
up of your cover with
• all of the coverlines
• a description of your
image
• decisions about
colours
Planning your images
• Remember that you need to keep all of the
unmanipulated images that you have taken for
your work
• Remember that the images cannot appear
anywhere else on the internet (don’t post the
images you take for your work onto
Facebook!)
Planning your masthead
• Consider the layout of your masthead. Choose
a real magazine to base your masthead on so
that it looks professional.
• Show the real masthead/s and your decision
• Consider the colour/ font/ layout
• Write bullet points or a short paragraph to
explain your reasons
Include a title Masthead Designs
Include annotations as to why you have
chosen/ not chosen some of your
designs
Access this planning sheet on Weebly
• Decide the name of your
magazine
• Choose a real magazine to
base your masthead on
• Try out different fonts and
colours
• Use dafont or other font
websites
• Avoid Word Art fonts with
a gradient colour
• Your masthead should be a
banner across the whole
of your front cover
Masthead design - marks
A
B
C
D or below
Planning of
masthead design
clearly shown,
analytical
annotations as
to why particular
designs were
rejected and
why one was
chosen. Font,
colour and
layout decided
Planning of
masthead clearly
shown,
annotations as
to why particular
designs were
rejected and
why one was
chosen. Font,
colour and
layout decided
Planning of
Included
masthead
shown, some
annotation as to
why particular
designs were
rejected and
why one was
chosen. Font,
colour and
layout decided
Making your article
Use your mock up to make your real article on Publisher.
Copy and paste the Word planning of your article into
the text boxes on Publisher
Points to remember
• Try to include lots of images
• Make sure all text is in columns – use the link text
box tool to allow you to adjust column sizes
• Font size of body copy should not be more than
12
Use the Construction – Mark your Own sheet on Weebly for grading
Check
• All unmanipulated, original photos printed on
A4 in colour to go in your folder. Fit at least 6
photos per page (Title: Unmanipulated
Images)
Task
• Create your contents page in Publisher
• Use your mock up for the layout
• Copy and paste the contents that you have
written in Word into the separate text boxes
Remember
• Lots of images
• Max 12 for font size for copy
Use the
Construction – Mark your Own sheet
on Weebly for grading
Task
• Make your front cover in Publisher
• Use your mock up and your masthead design
to help
• Make sure your main image is large and well
framed
• What does ‘well framed’ mean?
• The model is positioned in a sensible position
within the whole of the photograph
Images
• Front cover image should be large
• Shouldn’t be enlarged unless on high pixel ratio camera
because makes them pixelated
• Lighting should be bright on the subject (not behind
them).
• If your camera has the function –set the white balance
– see instruction booklet!
• Front cover image – leave enough space above the
model to place the masthead
• Outside images shouldn’t be at night
• Take a portrait image for your cover (not landscape)
Conventions
Why is this cover less
successful?
Conventions
• Put images into Photoshop and play with the
colour/ contrast effects to improve your photos
• Get eye contact with your audience
• Large masthead
• Large coverlines
• 3 colours for coverlines
• No white empty space
• Small font for main text
Framing
DON’T DO THIS!
Things to remember
Large masthead
Large image in
sharp focus
Background is blurred or
plain and usually light
colour
Limited colour scheme –
4 colours max, but
usually only 3
Some font variety in
coverlines
Coverlines do not go over
the face
Coverlines on both
sides of the page
Use mark your own sheets on Weebly
(under mark schemes)
A-A*
B
Use of IT
Excellent use of IT so that the magazine
looks like a professional magazine. Careful
attention to detail. Images are cropped,
resized and manipulated as appropriate.
Excellent use of IT so that the magazine looks
Very good use of IT. A lot of images are
almost like a professional magazine. Attention cropped, resized and manipulated as
to detail. Most images are cropped, resized and appropriate.
manipulated as appropriate.
Font
A variety of font sizes and types are used.
The font size for the articles is quite small
and is generally size 12.
A variety of font sizes and types used.
The font size for the articles is quite small and
is generally size 12.
Some variety of font size and type.
The font size use in the text is too big and
Font size for double page spread article or looks unprofessional. Font size may be too
other articles may be too big (over size 12). big in order to disguise the fact that the
pupil has not written a lot (this does not
work!).
The font is more or less the same
throughout– may have used times new
roman throughout.
Spelling
No spelling or grammatical errors. The
language takes into account the target
audience
No spelling or grammatical errors. The
language takes into account the target
audience.
Contains a few spelling or grammatical
errors. May contain poor punctuation.
Contains a lot of spelling or grammatical
errors. May contain word omissions or
poor punctuation.
Photographs
Images are cropped appropriately. Images
are sharp and clear in focus. In particular
the image on the front cover is in focus. All
images are pupils’ own.
Images are cropped appropriately. The majority
of images are sharp and clear in focus. In
particular the image on the front cover is good.
The majority of images are pupils’ own.
Some Images are cropped appropriately.
Most images are sharp and clear in focus.
Some images are not the pupils own and
have been taken from a website.
Some images are in focus. Some images
are not the pupils own and have been
taken from a website.
Photographs
A variety of shot distances are used (exclose up, close-up, mid shot, long shot.)
Images and text are integrated
professionally.
Has selected appropriate mise-en-scene
including colour, lighting, objects and
setting. Careful attention to detail.
A variety of shot distances are used. Images
and text are integrated well.
Some variety of shot
distances are used. Images will be placed
on the page with some integration with
text.
Has selected some appropriate mise-enscene including colour, lighting, objects
and setting
Images are just placed on the page with no
real thought or effort.
All 5 pages are produced to an excellent /
professional standard.
All 4/5 pages are produced to a very high
standard.
Mise-en-scene
4/5 Pages
Cover
Contents/
Editorial
Double Pg Spread
(2pages)
Has selected appropriate mise-en-scene
including colour, lighting, objects and setting
C
All 4 pages are produced to a good
standard.
D or below
Average use of IT. Very little manipulation
of images.
Mise-en-scene has been considered to a
basic standard
All 4 pages are produced to a basic
standard. Work is rushed, unfinished and
contains a lot of empty white spaces.
May lack professional finish (ex-it may
EVERY PAGE MUST BE INCLUDED OR THE
contain empty white spaces, may not have WORK WILL NOT MEET THE REQUIRMENT
page numbers, may have used images
OF THE BRIEF.
copied from the internet)
Writing your evaluation
• Before you start your evaluation, you need to gather some
audience feedback. Ask other people (from your target
audience) to look at your work and give you some comments
–both positive and negative.
• You need to write an evaluation for your portfolio. The
evaluation should be between 500 – 800 words long and it
should be word-processed. Your brief and the title of your
production should be stated clearly as the heading of your
evaluation
• As you write, aim to analyse and evaluate throughout. Do not
repeat anything (eg if a bullet points are similar and you have
already answered the point, don’t write it again) and always
say WHY you did something, not just that you did it. DON’T
MOAN! The examiner will not respect your work if it just
moans about the software etc!
3 sections
RESEARCH AND PLANNING
• Explain what research you did and what you learned (real
magazines and audience research)
• Explain what planning you did and why it was helpful
CONSTRUCTION
• Explain how you made your pages and WHY you made
them in that way
EVALUATION
• Explain what audience feedback you got
• Say if you agree or disagree with their opinions and
explain why
• Analyse your final pages, explaining the connotations
created. (eg why you used certain colours, fonts, images,
words etc)
Mark Scheme –
Level 4 (24–30 marks)
on Weebly • There is a detailed evaluation of the monitoring
A*
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
U
27
24
22
18
15
12
9
6
0
of decisions and revisions.
• There is a detailed discussion of how the brief
related to research into similar media texts and
target audiences.
• There is excellent understanding of the forms and
conventions used in the production.
• There is excellent understanding of the
significance of audience feedback.
• There is excellent ability to communicate.
• There is a thorough evaluation of the success of
the finished media text in meeting the original
brief.
• There is an accurate command of appropriate
medium-specific terminology.
Ticklist
• Use the ticklist on Weebly to ensure that
everything is in your folder in the right order